Outside Looking In and Other Stories
by Kaleyanne
Summary: Complete. 23 drabbles about the Animorphs, Erek, Elfangor and more. Pairings include Erek x Toby and Erek x Cassie.
1. Outside Looking In

**Outside Looking In **_(challenge: Morphing)_

Erek took a step back, as the insects around him began to change back into humans. Cockroach wings took on the color of flesh, fluttered and glued themselves to the body. Fly eyes stayed completely unchanged, right down to size, as legs slurped back into chests. Ax was a perfectly normal wolf spider, barring the fact that he was the size of a computer monitor and his legs looked oddly blue.

But Cassie was now herself and gave the android a little piece of much-needed eye candy. She laughed gently as Erek thanked several gods for not having a stomach.

_0-0_

_Most of the drabbles in this collection will be based on challenges from animorphs100, a LiveJournal community that issues a prompt for a drabble every week. But some will be entirely of my own imagination. _

_**5-21-05:**_ _What is a drabble?_ _Short piece of writing with a word limit, usually 100 or 1000 words. Mine are 100-words_.


	2. Bark and Bite

**Bark and Bite **_(challenge: Food)_

Bark tasted good to her Hork-Bajir brain, but to Aldrea's old Andalite mentality, it seemed odd. How strange, to slice the bark off the tree, eat some, and then feed some to her child. An Andalite would be slowly trotting along with Seerow, pointing out the freshest grass, making sure his diet was nutritious.

But she was Hork-Bajir now. Seerow had been born a Hork-Bajir. In a perverse way, she was proud that her child was everything an Andalite was not. Hork-Bajir didn't release Quantum viruses.

So she stripped away the newest, ripest bark, and handed it to her son.


	3. Puppy Love

**Puppy Love** _(challenge: Gifts)_

It was a study comparing wolves and dogs. Cassie saw it in the mall with Rachel last week. She had been a mere three dollars short to purchase it.

And now here it was, on her doorstep, an unsigned card attached.

"_Cassie, I'm glad you love my friends." _

Something about the inhumanly straight handwriting and the combination of the words 'love' and 'friends' in reference to dogs still gave her a shrewd idea of the giver, though, and she sighed.

Someone who had once given up his soul for her life now seemed willing to give her his heart, too.


	4. Brothers

**Brothers** _(challenge: Meetings)_

It took Elfangor a moment to spy Aximili in his hiding place. Aximili was a serious child. He didn't indulge jokes. He had no sense of humor whatsoever. Elfangor sympathized. He had been the same way.

Aximili even looked like his older brother. It was as if the childhood holograms of him were alive. They had the same sharp, intelligent green eyes.

Elfangor decided to approach his brother slowly. But when the child retreated further into the forest, he stopped to rethink. Apparently, a direct confrontation wasn't going to work.

So he called: Won't you run with me, little brother?


	5. Handy Holograms

  
**Handy Holograms** _(challenge: Meetings)_

Toby learned easily, and today's lesson had been not to bring big groups on Yeerk pool raids. And the exit way was blocked! Still, she was determined, and quietly approached

Immediately, a human-Controller produced a Dracon beam. Toby managed to herd everyone towards a back hall, where they might have blended in with Hork-Bajir-Controllers… if any had been there.

But just as Toby was lamenting her assured fate as a Controller, a… hologram… formed around them all. Just as everyone began to cry out, a doglike figure approached the young Seer.

"You must be Toby Hamee," Erek King said, smiling.


	6. Peace and Quiet

**Peace and Quiet** _(challenge: n/a)_

Cassie was sitting down, face buried. Ax was sleeping peacefully, Tobias was given a tranquilizer, he had fixed Aftran a bowl of viscous liquid, stored behind a hologram.

Phone calls confirmed the improving health of the remaining Animorphs. The only person left for Erek to take care of was Cassie.

He walked up and touched her shoulder gently. She smiled gratefully, but didn't say anything. Probably still in shock, thought the sympathetic android. She had been through a lot. Quiet was best for her now.

But still, he stayed with her, determined to make sure she knew he was there.


	7. The Blame Game

**The Blame Game** _(challenge: n/a)_

Aliens. Androids. Animorphs.

That's whom Sara and Jordan blamed.

Their big, mighty, invincible sister sat in an urn, reduced to ashes. By the aliens, the androids and the Animorphs.

The aliens were being given a special reserve in Yellowstone Park. The androids remained hidden, by Jake's orders. The Animorphs were treated like heroes.

And now a talking bird had taken Rachel away. She was resting with a bird. Not her family.

She was dead. Not with her family.

Rachel was dead at sixteen years old.

And there was no one to blame. Just the aliens, the androids and the Animorphs.


	8. Without Interference

**Without Interference **_(challenge: AU)_

Part of Elfangor still wished for his stalk eyes, but not so that he could look for enemies. Loren had taught their son to play hide-and-go-seek, and now it was Tobias's favorite pastime, making Daddy come and find him.

Meanwhile, Mommy laughed at how stupid Daddy was for not knowing where little children could hide in a human house. And for not knowing that Tobias would of course find the dark, enclosed space beneath the bottom shelf of the linen closet to be a perfect hiding place.

Elfangor was still claustrophobic, still Andalite, but glad to have his human family.


	9. The Answering Machine

**The Answering Machine** _(challenge: Messages)_

So, Visser One just screwed up and expects me to fix it.

The new message light was blinking. I pressed it, and my mother's voice flowed forth. I recognized it the instant she spoke.

My dad's known her longer than I have. He'd recognize it, too.

The answering machine had recorded the first few minutes of the conversation. It was all there. Dad would have to believe me. I could even call home and make the new message light blink again. Then he would press it and…

Become an Animorph? Divorce Nora? Lose it again?

I hit the delete button.


	10. Reminders

**Reminders** _(challenge: n/a)_

Every decade or so, we Chee elect someone to fix up the Pemalite ship.

We hate doing it. It's a blatant reminder of the world we lost. Sure, the dogs are as joyful and loving as any Pemalite who ever lived, but they don't speak to us. They are not from that time. It's like meeting the child of a dead loved one—familiar, comforting, but not obvious. Like a _part_ of them will never be truly gone.

By comparison, visiting the ship… I liken it to visiting a grave.

Just further proof that your loved one is gone forever.


	11. Prey

**Prey**

Lion morph fixed the attendants and elevator.

Demorphed, David entered the elevator and reached for Saddler. Pressed his fingers against the damaged tissue. Acquiring.

He removed the IV tube and oxygen mask. Saddler gasped for air. David grinned, and pressed Saddler's pillow against his mouth and nose.

Suffocation didn't take long. Saddler didn't struggle.

David opened the emergency exit. The elevator shaft was empty.

He dropped the body.

He morphed the now-dead teenager, and took his place on the stretcher. Inserted the IV, put on the oxygen mask.

He had just enough time for a nap before the doctors came.


	12. Cherries

**Cherries** _(challenge: Red)_

"Why do sundaes have small, red fruits on them?"

Marco shrugged. "Because they do, Ax. They're called cherries."

"They do not taste of sugar, Marco. Or of salt and grease. Ease. Ea-suh."

"Then give it to me," answered the human. "I love them."

I pulled my bowl away before he could take the bright red cherry. "What will you give me for it?" I asked him. "Gi-vuh."

Marco raised an eyebrow. "How about I buy you another sundae?" he suggested. "This is only your second."

I relinquished the red piece of fruit. "Yes, that would be nice. Nice. Ice. Ni-suh."


	13. The Ellimist of Oz

**The Ellimist of Oz** _(challenge: Parody)_

"Who calls on the Ellimist?" boomed the gigantic voice.

Hesitantly, Cassorothy stepped forward.

"It is I, Cassorothy!" she called. "My friends--the Cowardly Andalite, the Marcrow, the Tin Android, and Totobias--and I would like to ask for your help."

"Bring me the credit card of Rachel, the wicked witch of the west!" replied the Ellimist of Oz.

The Marcrow snorted. "Rachel's credit card? You gotta be kidding me."

Cassorothy nodded. "I don't need to get home that bad."

The travelers departed, leaving the Ellimist to cry in frustration, "And I wanted to catch that sale at Spencer's Gifts, too!"


	14. In a Strange Way

**In a Strange Way** _(challenge: Discoveries)_

I am unsure of what to think, but I know this: Tobias would never lie to me. Especially not if it involved my brother, Elfangor.

My brother is his father... In a strange way, it fits. Elfangor disappeared before I was born...

No wonder he smiled so sadly when Earth first came into view...

And now more than ever, I am glad it was Tobias who was with my brother in his last moments.

I hope he realized it. I hope it comforted him somehow. Eased the weight of death.

But in a strange way, as I look up at Tobias, it comforts me now.


	15. Alloran's Betrayal

**Alloran's Betrayal** _(challenge: Theft)_

"So the Andalites have ships in all these sectors... and in these positions..."

"Forrr a disgrrrace, Alloran sure knew-rrr a lot..."

Alloran heard the comments the Controllers made. He felt the metal restraints on each of his limbs, tail and neck. And he swore he saw Esplin laughing softly in the Yeerk Pool, though he knew it was impossible.

But what Alloran felt most, beyond the jeers of the Controllers, the probing of the thieving memory dump, the pain of the restraints...

Most painful, most piercing of all to the Butcher of Hork-Bajir was the shame of betraying his people.


	16. Everything I Am

**Everything I Am **_(challenge: Unorthodox Pairings)_

"Now all out war is our only option," the Seer proclaimed to her companion, sprawled in the dewy grass of near dawn.

"Perhaps," he answered evasively.

Toby looked at the android. "Is it your programming that will not allow you to admit I'm right?"

Erek shook his head. "Weariness makes me disagree with you, Toby, millennia of war and death."

The strange Chee smile appeared.

"You mustn't resent my programming."

"I was born a war general. I've never known peace," replied Toby. "It turns you against everything I am."

"No," he said gently. "It makes me adore everything you are."


	17. What Could Be More Terrifying?

**What Could Be More Terrifying? **_(challenge: LiveJournal)_

"Hey? Dude? You can come back to Earth anytime now..."

Jake shook his head, trying to clear his disbelief at Erek's words. The android appeared in his bedroom in the middle of the night, carrying a laptop and looking confused. And scared. And it wasn't even dawn yet.

But when the android opened up his laptop, typed in LJ username 'visserthr33'and asked Jake to read the first entry... Well. Jake suddenly understood the fear and confusion.

After all, what could be more terrifying than the fact that Jake and the Visser had done the same meme last week?


	18. Pretty Cousin

Pretty Cousin _(challenge: Repetition)_

Open the door.

Walk inside.

Listen to Tom's joke.

Make responding joke.

Listen to parents' loving inquiries about school.

Make something up – I ditched today to go to the mall. Only I wasn't playing bag boy for my pretty, psychotic cousin or being trounced in the arcade by my best friend. Yet again, I dragged my pretty, psychotic cousin there to see if I could salvage the pretty girl before the psycho runs her out.

We're leaving soon. We're going into hiding. The visser is going to find us out.

But my pretty cousin isn't coming with us.

My psychotic cousin is.


	19. Errors

**Errors** _(challenge: Secrets)_

Aximili is reading a holographic display on human technology. He will be required to write up a report on their space travel. He sounded contemptuous when Mother asked him about it, and I can see him laughing at the display.

The errors are rampant. Russian spacemen are 'cosmonauts,' not 'hydronauts.' Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon, not Neil Young.

But what do I know? No one in my generation could tell a human from a Ferrulebi.

But as much as I want to correct him, I equally don't want to shatter his faith in his brother.

Coward.


	20. The Ones Who Get It

**The Ones Who Get It** _(challenge: Crossovers)_

"It's okay," said Hermione matter-of-factly. "I mean, Jake would be even worse if you let him kill Tom."

"Are you so sure?" Cassie asked. "Instead, Rachel and Tom—oh!" She clapped her hand over her mouth. "I'm being so insensitive, not even asking about Harry... I mean, what _he_ has to do..."

"It's all right." Hermione squeezed her other hand. "But you know what? Let's change the subject. That morphing Yeerks idea... genius... I bet Aftran's much happier."

"Oh, please, no," Cassie blushed. "Yeerks are unfortunate, yeah... But S.P.E.W.! That's noble."

"You flatter me."

"You flatter _me_."

The girls giggled.

0-0

_Note: Inspired by Jinako-chan's "Best Fic Ever," in which Cassie is declared "The-One-Who-Mysteriously-Gets-Everything (Also known as Hermione Granger)."_


	21. Denial

**Denial **_(challenge: Lateness)_

Every news channel in the city had a team waiting for Peter Eames.

"Mr. Eames, concerning your late wife..."

"My wife isn't late in that sense of the word," he snapped to the Channel Nine crew. "She's only late in that she should have been home earlier and isn't now."

"Sir, it's been nearly a week," said the reporter, almost sickeningly eager. "Are you keeping up faith for your son? Or do you think she might have run away with another man?"

The television snapped off, just as it looked like Peter would punch the reporter.

"Well, Eva?" Edriss laughed.


	22. Vague Perceptions

**Vague Perceptions **_(challenge: Lost and Found)_

She perceives something crushing her. His anger is heavy. She left Ax alone, but feels as if it were vice-versa.

Ax is not there, but she feels him. Feels that, despite what she told him, despite that she believes the blue box will finally spark the Yeerks' repressed imagination, feels that they will soon realize that they have found the one solution better than the Isk-Yoort symbiosis, feels that it will end the war that lost her her childhood...

Despite all this, her crushing conscience warns that even if she has regained Jake's trust, she may have forever lost Ax's.


	23. Destroyed Souls

**Destroyed Souls **_(challenge: n/a)_

Trapped. Trapped like a wild animal, bound by what he is, betrayed but those he once thought friends worth having.

The cold eyes of the child once thought to be good, the child who once thought to do was right. The lovely girl who became a psychopath, longing only for the blood of enemies and adrenaline ringing in her chest. The boy who became a predator. The mindless alien doing only what he is told. The boy who went from motherless to ruthless, conscienceless...

And Cassie.

She who was pure. She who could not look him in the eye, she who felt most acutely that they were betraying him.

The hologram of Erek King flickered, faded and died, and was replaced by a replication of Cassie.

The only Animorph he felt he could impersonate without destroying his own soul further.


End file.
